Setting Up a Tank

The first important consideration when starting an aquarium is its location. It should preferably receive some daylight, but this is not essential, and it may be maintained in perfect health with electric illumination alone. Indeed, the control of plant growth, both in extent and direction, and the suppression of green water or other unwanted algae is much easier with artificial light. Details are dealt with later, but in general a tank should have at least 8 to 10 hours of illumination a day (12 to 14 hours is not too long) and should not receive more than about 2 hours of direct natural sunlight, less with a small tank in summer, which may otherwise seriously overheat. Drafty locations must be avoided, and so must the tops of radiators, which heat the sand and cause the plants to wilt and can overheat the tank far too easily. Thus, the popular window location over a radiator is not to be commended.

Sand or Gravel

The purpose of the sand is to hold down rooted plants and to provide decoration. If it is too fine, it packs tightly and prevents the roots from penetrating; it also promotes the growth of anaerobic bacteria—those that thrive in oxygen-free surroundings and turn the sand gray or black. If it is too coarse, the plants get little grip and ride free, and unconsumed food and other detritus get down into the sand and are not easily removed.

Thus, coarse river sand, preferably with a variable grain size for pleasant appearance, is the best. It should be deep enough to provide adequate root space for the plants provided, which will vary from 1 to 3 inches. In all but the smallest tanks, 2 inches of sand at the back and less in front is about right, but it may be banked up much more than this if desired, for decorative effects. However, a great depth of sand tends sooner or later to become foul, and it is best to avoid it, or to pack the deeper areas with rock beneath the sand.

The placing of deep sand at the back automatically provides for three things. First, it looks pleasant, giving the aquarium base a gentle forward slope which best exhibits the content. Second, it provides for the largest plants to be sited at the back, where they are usually required. Third, it encourages the mulm to collect toward the front of the tank, whence it is easily removed.
Before use, sand must be very thoroughly washed. Even if supplied as "washed," it will normally require some further washing. Really dirty sand may need 20 or 30 swirlings in fresh buckets of water, or half an hour's thorough hosing in a shallow container. Failure to do this may cause cloudy water for weeks, or more serious trouble.

European aquarists frequently use peat, loam, or earth beneath the sand, or in pockets of rock, to nourish the plants. The experience of most of us is that such materials sooner or later cause trouble; either they get stirred up and make a sorry mess of the water, or they turn bad and have to be removed. Nevertheless, their use is clearly practicable with care, and it is said that the plant growth in aquaria so planted is outstanding. This growth is naturally a result of organic materials supplied beneath the sand, and the plants may not, therefore, be performing their essential function of removing much of the waste products of the fishes as well as they otherwise would.

This is another of the points which have not been clarified, and further research and observation are needed before we can dismiss the use of these materials as undesirable.

Stones, Rockwork, and Ornaments

These items are almost purely a matter of personal taste. There are occasions when stones are needed by the fishes, as in spawning some of the cichlids, but they have usually no essential function in other tanks, except to look nice. Judges in shows have various theories about the relationship between stones and the sand they lie in, and about the direction of rock strata. These are mostly highly debatable and of little interest, one feels, to the serious aquarist.

It must be recalled that large rocks take up water volume, but the tank would have to be extraordinarily full of them before this would be likely to matter  except when judging the amount of chemicals to add in the treatment of disease.

Ornaments, such as treasure chests, divers, sea shells, and mermaids are best forgotten. Fortunately they usually become covered by algae in a flourishing tank and mellowed into a more acceptable state—i.e., unnoticeable. Sea shells or shellgrit (sometimes used instead of sand) are all right in the marine tank, but will make the fresh-water tank too alkaline, even if their appearance can be tolerated.

Planting

Select young, healthy-looking plants for setting up a tank, and, unless they come from an impeccable source, disinfect them or quarantine them. If you wish to use them immediately, a rapid wash in salt

water (6 tablespoons to the gallon) or sea water, of not more than 15 seconds duration followed by a thorough wash in fresh water will be a good insurance. If you can wait, leave them for a couple of days in a solution of potassium permanganate at a strength of 1/5 grain to the gallon (3 parts per million), or use 1/2 grain to the gallon and leave for only 15 minutes. The longer period at lower strength is better.

Make a diagram of the desired scheme before going about the job, or it may  urn out very different from that hoped for by the inexperienced. Those shown here will give the general idea. The higher-growing and larger plants look best at the back and sides, particularly the long, grass-like plants and the longstemmed plants like Cabomba, Myriophyllum, and Anacharis. Then, perhaps in relationship to rocks or stones, may come groups of other plants, such as Cryptocoryne, chinodorus or Ludivigia. These are best placed in groups of one type,
not mixed up indiscriminately. In front, some of the smaller grasses or dwarf varieties of other plants may be used, but it is customary to leave a free swimming-space in the center front. A particularly fine plant, such as an  Echinodorus, is often used as a centerpiece in the larger tanks.

Then place about 1 1/2 inches of level sand in the tank, and smooth it back and to the sides in the desired formation, placing any rocks and stones in position at this stage. Now place a large cup or jar in the front of the tank and gently pour water into it, so that it gently overflows and fills the tank for a depth of 6 or 8 inches. This is a convenient depth for planting. Meanwhile keep the plants wet, as a short period of drying may kill or set them back severely. Cut back the roots of all plants to a length of 1 to 2 inches, according to size, and anchor them by pushing them into the sand about an inch forward of their eventual site, and dragging them back or sideways through the sand into position.

This makes a slight mess of the arrangements, but it is easier than trying to push them into place in the usual way with sticks or tongs. It is superfluous to worry about spreading the roots nicely, as they decay and are replaced by new growth in most cases.

Plants that have a crown above the roots, like the grasses and Cryptocoryne, must be carefully planted so as to leave this crown exposed, or they may wither and die. Others may be thrust into the sand with less care, but it is best not to submerge too much stem and leaves as these may, in subsequently decaying, foul the tank. Leave small spaces between adjacent plants, about 1/2 to 1 inch at least with the grasses and tall, thin plants, and much more with bushy plants. Allowing for subsequent filling-out by growth and the striking of new plants, a typical 15-gallon tank, with a floor area of 2 square feet, will need about 3 dozen back and side plants and a dozen central plants.

Planting sticks—long sticks with a notch in the end, and perhaps a sharp, chisel-like blade at the other end—are useful for making additions when the rest of the plants are in place, and for resetting plants that have floated up before becoming firmly rooted.

Planting trays are sometimes used. These are flat trays, usually of such dimensions that two or three of them fill the base of the tank. They are an advantage when it is required to empty the tank frequently, as for exhibition or breeding purposes, but require careful camouflage if they are not to be too obvious. Smaller trays may be used with advantage, if set unobtrusively in the sand or behind rocks, and may house prize plants or varieties that need particular care or are moved from time to time to different tanks. It is best to use trays made of Bakelite, plastic, china, or earthenware, not of metal, however
well coated, except with enamel.

When planting is complete, the tank may be filled. If the recom- mended 6 to 8 inches of water is already present and the tank is new, leave it for a day and then complete the filling, just in case of leaks. It is best not to fill a new tank and then empty it again before planting, to clean it or to "test" for leaks. This may result in springing a leak when the tank is emptied, which then becomes apparent on refilling. It also may cause more cement to be pushed out from between the frame and the glass than is desirable, if the tank has not fully hardened (which it should not have done). It is generally unwise to empty any
new tank within a few months of first filling it, particularly a large tank.

Filling after planting must be done gently, so as not to disturb the sand. Continue to pour into a jar up to 10 or 12 inches, but if the tank is deeper than this the rest can be poured in from a few inches above the water level as long as the inflowing water creates a mass of bubbles, which break its force and prevent it from sweeping down onto the bottom. Fill to about 1 inch from the top—usually the tank looks best if the water-line is just hidden under the top of the frame.

Heating and Lighting

These subjects have a chapter to themselves, but a few general words are not out of place here. A tropical tank is usually heated electrically, with a control known as a thermostat, which is set to keep the tank at about the same temperature all the time. Of course, the thermostat works only downward, and if the outside temperature rises above that set by the thermostat it cannot prevent the tank from getting warmer too. Actually, even fairly small tanks take quite a time to absorb heat from the air and do not usually heat up unduly as long as the night brings some relief.

The thermostat is nearly always clipped onto the side of the tank, and more than one tank may be controlled by the same instrument, as long as they are in  similar situations. Heaters may be clipped onto the side or may be totally submerged, but if submerged they should never be buried in the sand, for they may overheat and fuse. Both thermostat and heater are usually placed on opposite ends of the back of the tank, so that they do not obtrude and so that the warm water rising from the heater does not immediately affect the thermostat and cause it to switch off the current too quickly, before the rest of the tank is warmed up.

A good thermostat has a small differential, which means that it does not allow the water to vary by more than a degree or two in temperature.

 

Most fishes are stimulated by small temperature swings, so that variation of a few degrees from time to time should cause no alarm, as long as there is no reason to think that anything is wrong with controls. Beware, however, of allowing the water level to fall very much without topping up, which easily occurs in large tanks. If the thermostat becomes appreciably exposed to air and not water, it will begin measuring the air temperature and in cold weather it may remain closed and cook the fishes.

Every independently heated tank should have a thermometer. There are various types, some floating and some fixed, and most of them are likely to be as much as 5°F. out either way. They should be carefully checked at, say, 70° and 80°F. against a standard mercury thermometer. Your local druggist will probably be prepared to do this for you if you have no reliable thermometer of your own. The clock-type thermometers, which have a circular dial and a moving pointer and may be fitted with a rubber suction cap so that their face is fastened to the
glass, are usually more reliable than the cheaper conventional types, but they are likely to stick and should be gently tapped before a reading is taken. A great advantage of this type is that they can be fastened to the front glass of batteries of tanks so that the pointer is upright at the desired temperature and any departure of 1°F. or more from this is immediately apparent.

There is often a considerable top-to-bottom temperature difference in tropical tanks. This is no cause for worry, as it mimics conditions in nature, where the heat of the sun frequently raises the temperature of the top water well above that of the lower strata and the fishes just stay down to keep cool.

Lighting other than daylight is supplied from the top. Side lighting sometimes gives interesting effects, but it causes many fishes to swim lopsidedly and may eventually upset them. Also the plants will grow towards the light and may look very odd when obliquely illuminated for any length of time. Lighting may be by conventional electric globes, or by fluorescent strips. Either is satisfactory, as long as "daylight" fluorescent tubes are used. A reflector is usually placed over the light, or lights, hiding them and also concentrating the light into the tank. Powerful electric lighting heats the surface of the water considerably, since the light must be close to be effective. This may be alleviated in part by interposing a glass screen between the bulbs and the water. Fluorescent tubes do not heat nearly as much.

Covers

In addition to the cover afforded by a reflector, the top of the aquarium is best completely enclosed in some fashion. Glass is popular and necessary when light must enter through the cover. Otherwise, any water-resistant material may be used; some of the synthetic hardboards have the advantage of being good insulators, better than glass, yet do not encourage condensation. This helps to prevent the rusting which practically always occurs when covers are used on iron-framed tanks.

Covers serve a number of purposes. They prevent fishes from jumping out, and they prevent other creatures, from beetles to cats, from getting in. They also help to keep the tank warmer and to prevent rapid evaporation. If tight-fitting, they do the latter almost completely, but rusting of frames is likely to be severe unless a very good quality enamel has been used on them. A tight-fitting cover, by the way, enclosing about 1 inch of air space, does not suffocate the fishes, which obtain plenty of oxygen from the air enclosed, even if the cover is really airtight (which it usually isn't). The removal of the cover or part of it once or more times per day for feeding is enough.

A cover is best made in two pieces, so that either a strip along the front or a corner-piece can be lifted for feeding, etc. without removing the whole. It is best to have the cover raised a fraction of an inch, too, by placing small blocks of  wood or cork at intervals along the frame, or by slipping split rubber tubing or a suitable size of rubber buffering of the type used in car upholstery along the inner edges of the top frame.

Or the cover may be lowered beneath the frame by suspending it from specially-made clips which may be purchased from most dealers. This Scheme has the advantage that any condensation or splashes drip back without touching the frame, and also that the cover is not completely tight. It has the disadvantage that the cover cannot easily be made of more than one piece for easy feeding. Either method prevents much of the rusting and of the dripping from condensation that otherwise occurs. The rusting is unsightly and damages the tank in time, and the drips may contain poisonous material dissolved from paint, solder, or the metal of the tank frame. All contact of metal and water, xcept  stainless steel or monel metal with welded or silver soldered joints, must be prevented, whether by direct contact, by drips from condensation, or by aeration splash. With salt-water tanks this is an absolute must, or poisoning will be rapid, but it is dangerous with any water. Even chrome or nickel-plate heaters may develop flaws which lead to electrolysis, and stripping of the plating, with possibly disastrous effects, may follow.

Frames of netting, such as mosquito netting or perforated zinc, may be used, particularly in hot weather when enclosed tanks tend to overheat. The frame may be of wood with wire or cloth netting stretched across it. We shall see later how, by using different types of cover in conjunction with an immersion heating system in sets of tanks, dif- ferent temperatures can be maintained.

Introducing  Fishes

When a tank has been set up, it is best left for several days before fishes are placed in it. During this period, there is a chance to check that all is well, that no leaks have started, and that the temperature control of a tropical tank is satisfactory. Nothing is more disheart- ening than to set up a tank and place the fishes in it and then have to dismantle everything hurriedly and find an emergency home for them. This rest period also allows the plants to become settled and to start functioning, which they will do fully only after a week or two; more important, it allows some of the most troublesome fish diseases or parasites to die off, which they may do if they have been introduced by accident to the tank and no hosts are present. This is particularly important with the parasite known as "white spot," which allegedly does not live long without the presence of fishes and which is the most widespread of all fish troubles.

Look over all the fishes carefully before placing them in the tank, and if they seem all right there is no reason why they should not all be put into the new tank together, taking especial care not to chill them or to subject them to much of a temperature rise or pH change. The best way to avoid this is to float the can in which they have probably arrived in the water of the tank until the waters are at about the same temperature and then gradually mix the waters together. Do not overstock the tank; it is much better to understock it for the first few weeks. Once the tank has a fish population, do not introduce new fishes without a quarantine period, unless you know that they have been in a disease-free tank for at least a fortnight and know that they have not been chilled on their way to you or subjected to  any otherrisks. If they have traveled for more than a few hours, you can hardly be sure of this. Otherwise, they should be given two weeks' quarantine in a special tank, even if they look perfectly well. It  is impossible for the owner of only a single community tank to do this, but at least he should well realize that he takes a risk every time he introduces

strangers to the tank and he may think twice about placing any fishes there which are in any way subject to suspicion. The same applies to new plants. The new fishes can be floated in the main tank in a jar or bowl, but if this is done care must be taken to see that they are given enough room and air surface and that they don't jump into the tank. If you have no spare isolation tank and have precious specimens in a tank to which you have decided to introduce new fishes, probably the best thing to do is absolutely nothing, except to keep a very watchful eye on all the inhabitants for several weeks and be ready to give immediate treatment for any recognizable malady.

It will do no harm, however, to dose the tank with 15,000 units of penicillin per gallon, or with aureomycin, 10 milligrams per gallon. These will take care of many possible diseases before they have a chance to get started on the other fishes.

If a new fish does develop disease, don't always blame the previous owner or the dealer. Disease may be present in your tank and the new fish may have caught it from your own stock, which may not be showing it actively. Or the new fish may have been weakened in transit and fall sick after its arrival. Subsequently, the whole tank may be affected, as it is quite common for a latent disease to start on a new rampage once it has been given a fillip by the presence of a susceptible host. From him, it can spread back to the rest in heightened form. This is seen commonly with white spot and fungus.

Catching Fishes

Nets for the purpose of catching adult fishes in small tanks should be as large as possible and not very deep. They should preferably not come to a point anywhere, either like a dunce's cap or with pointed corners, but should be gently rounded so as to give minimum risk of injury to the fishes. They may be made of mosquito netting or other suitable fabric, with reasonably wide pores so as to offer small resistance to the water. Nylon is becoming popular, as it dries with a shake and lasts long. It is also worth while to make or purchase nets with stainless steel frames, as the fabric does not then rot at the edges so readily or become impregnated with rust.

Nets for catching fry should be quite shallow, so that they do not cause the fry to "ball up" at all, but when in use they must be carefully watched as fry usually jump. Fry may also be siphoned off, although even when very small they are often remarkably adept at dodging.

Most fishes can be caught without much fuss if you are not in a hurry, but once the necessary iron self-control is lost a tank is easily wrecked. It is a good idea to try stealth first—gently approach the fish with a good-sized net and try to slip it under the fish and lift it cleanly out without causing any panic. If this, or your patience, fails, you may chase more actively, usually with little success. When this stage is reached, it is best to stop and try again in a few minutes; but if you are in a great hurry, then place the net at one end, well ballooned out into the darkest part of the tank, and chase the fishes into it with a free hand or another net. Then, unless you want to remove the lot, lift the net and rest it on the frame of the tank with the fishes in water but still trapped. Finally, remove the specimens wanted with a small tumbler or cup. Do not handle small fishes if you can avoid it. Large fishes, including goldfishes, are often best caught and removed gently by hand, if possible, as they struggle in a net and may injure themselves more that way than if gently handled.

The best maneuver has been left until last. If your fishes have the common habit of all rushing to the top of the tank to be fed, they may often be caught practically all together with a single well-directed sweep of the net. If this misses, it is not usually so easy to repeat it with any success on the same occasion, so try later. Finally, do not move any fishes more than is absolutely necessary, particularly when they have been established in one tank for a long time. Sometimes a transfer to an apparently perfectly suitable tank with waters from the same source is fatal. This does not mean that most fishes cannot be safely moved—they can—but don't do it unnecessarily.

Remember also that it is quite difficult to catch a fish without doing it some slight injury, and that all such abrasions may become the site of infection which may spread not only on the individual but throughout a whole tank or battery.

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